9.1.6 Packet Switched Mobile Terminating Location Request
(PS-MT-LR)

23.2713GPPFunctional stage 2 description of Location Services (LCS)Release 17TS

Figure 9.5 illustrates the general network positioning for LCS clients external to the PLMN for packet switched services. In this scenario, it is assumed that the target UE is identified using an MSISDN or IMSI.

Figure 9.5: General Network Positioning for Packet Switched MT-LR

9.1.6.1 Location Preparation Procedure

1) Common PS and CS MT-LR procedure as described in clause 9.1.1.

2) GMLC sends a Provide Subscriber Location message to the SGSN indicated by the HLR/HSS. This message carries the type of location information requested (e.g. current location and optionally, velocity), the UE subscriber’s IMSI, LCS QoS information (e.g. accuracy, response time) and an indication of whether the LCS client has the override capability. For a session related location request, the message also carries the APN-NI to which the user has established the session. For a value added LCS client, the message shall carry the client name, the external identity of the LCS client (or the pseudo external identity) and the Requestor Identity (if that is both supported and available), optionally the message may also carry the Service Type. Also the message may carry the type of the LCS client name and also the type of the Requestor identity if the requestor identity was included. If the result of the privacy check at H-GMLC/PPR indicated that the codeword shall be sent to the UE user, the message may carry also the codeword received from the LCS client. For a PLMN operator LCS client, the message shall carry the internal identity of the LCS client. If the Requestor Identity is provided, the GMLC shall send it as separate information. In addition, in order to display the requestor identity in case of pre rel-5 network elements (i.e. SGSN and/or UE), the requestor identity may be also added to the LCS client name by the GMLC. When the Requestor identity is added to the LCS client name the practise described in the Annex D should be followed. The message also shall carry the indicators of privacy related action which is described in clause 9.5.4 , if it is provided by H-GMLC. If the GMLC supports delayed location reporting for UEs transiently not reachable (i.e because they are in extended idle mode DRX or PSM), this shall be indicated in this message.

2a) If the UE for which the request in step 2 is related is transiently not reachable and the GMLC supports delayed location reporting for UEs transiently not reachable as indicated in step 2, the SGSN sends a Provide Subscriber Location ack and a "UE transiently not reachable" indication. In this case step 10a and 10b are executed instead of step 10.

3) If the GMLC is located in another PLMN or another country, the SGSN first authenticates that a location request is allowed from this PLMN or from this country. If not, an error response is returned. If the PSL message from the GMLC includes the indicators of privacy related action, the SGSN determines a required privacy related action as described in Annex A.3. If the PSL message from the GMLC does not include the indicators of privacy related action, the SGSN then verifies LCS barring restrictions in the UE user’s subscription profile in the SGSN. In verifying the barring restrictions, barring of the whole location request is assumed if any part of it is barred or any requisite condition is not satisfied. If LCS is to be barred without notifying the target UE and a LCS client accessing a GMLC in the same country does not have the override capability, an error response is returned to the GMLC.
Otherwise, if the UE is in idle mode, the SGSN performs paging. The paging procedure is defined in TS 23.060 [15].

4) Security functions may be executed. These procedures are defined in TS 23.060 [15].

5) If the location request comes from a value added LCS client and the indicators of privacy related action or the UE subscription profile indicates that the UE must either be notified or notified with privacy verification and the UE supports notification of LCS, a notification invoke message is sent to the target UE indicating the type of location request from the LCS Client (e.g. current location or "current or last known location") and the identity of the LCS client and the Requestor Identity (if that is both supported and available), whether privacy verification is required. Also the message may indicate the type of the LCS client name and also the type of the Requestor identity if the requestor identity was included. Moreover, the message may carry also the service type and the codeword. Optionally, the SGSN may after sending the LCS Location Notification Invoke message continue in parallel the location process, i.e. continue to step 7 without waiting for a LCS Location Notification Return Result message in step 6.

6) The target UE notifies the UE user of the location request and, if privacy verification was requested, waits for the user to grant or withhold permission. The UE then returns a notification result to the SGSN indicating, if privacy verification was requested, whether permission is granted or denied. Optionally, this message can be returned some time after step 5, but before step 10. If the UE user does not respond after a predetermined time period, the SGSN shall infer a "no response" condition. The SGSN shall return an error response to the GMLC if privacy verification was requested and either the UE user denies permission or there is no response with the UE subscription profile indicating barring of the location request.

7) The SGSN sends a Location Request message to the RAN. This message includes the type of location information requested, the requested QoS and any other location information received in paging response.

9.1.6.2 Positioning Measurement Establishment Procedure

8) If the requested location information and the location accuracy within the QoS can be satisfied based on parameters received from the SGSN and the parameters obtained by the RAN e.g. cell coverage and timing information (i.e. RTT or TA), the RAN may send a Location Report immediately. Otherwise, the RAN determines the positioning method and instigates the particular message sequence for this method in UTRAN Stage 2 TS 25.305 [1] and in GERAN Stage 2 TS 43.059 [16]. If the position method returns position measurements, the RAN uses them to compute a location estimate. If there has been a failure to obtain position measurements, the RAN may use the current cell information and, if available, RTT or TA value to derive an approximate location estimate. If an already computed location estimate is returned for an UE based position method, the RAN may verify consistency with the current cell and, if available, RTT or TA. If the location estimate so obtained does not satisfy the requested accuracy and sufficient response time still remains, the RAN may instigate a further location attempt using the same or a different position method. If a vertical location co‑ordinate is requested but the RAN can only obtain horizontal co-ordinates, these may be returned.

9.1.6.3 Location Calculation and Release Procedure

9) When location information best satisfying the requested location type and QoS has been obtained, the RAN returns it to the SGSN in a Location Report message. RAN shall in its response include an indication whether the obtained location estimate satisfies the requested accuracy or not. The information of the positioning method used may be returned with the location information. If a location estimate could not be obtained, the RAN returns a Location Report message containing a failure cause and no location estimate.

10) This step is executed only if Step 2a was not executed. The SGSN returns the location information, its age and obtained accuracy indication to the GMLC, if the SGSN has not initiated the Privacy Verification process in step 5. If step 5 has been performed for privacy verification, the SGSN returns the location information only, if it has received a LCS Location Notification Return Result indicating that permission is granted. In these cases, the information about the positioning method used may be sent with the location information. If a LCS Location Notification Return Result message indicating that permission is not granted is received, or there is no response, with the requested privacy action or the UE subscription profile indicating barring of location, the SGSN shall return an error response to the GMLC. If the SGSN did not return a successful location estimate, but the privacy checks were successfully executed, the SGSN may return the last known location of the target UE if this is known and the LCS client is requesting the current or last known location. The SGSN may record charging information.

10a) This step is executed only if Step 2a was executed. The SGSN shall send a Subscriber Location Report to the GMLC, and, if these were obtained in steps 7 to 9, the location information, its age and obtained accuracy indication to the GMLC, if the SGSN has not initiated the Privacy Verification process in step 5. If step 5 has been performed for privacy verification, the SGSN returns the location information only, if it has received a LCS Location Notification Return Result indicating that permission is granted. In these cases, the information about the positioning method used may be sent with the location information. If a LCS Location Notification Return Result message indicating that permission is not granted is received, or there is no response, with the requested privacy action or the UE subscription profile indicating barring of location, the SGSN shall send an error indication to the GMLC. If the SGSN did not return a successful location estimate, but the privacy checks were successfully executed, the SGSN may return the last known location of the target UE if this is known and the LCS client is requesting the current or last known location. The SGSN may record charging information. If SGSN relocation happens before location information can be reported, the old SGSN includes an error cause code indicating that it cannot proceed with the request as a result of UE mobility. The GMLC may reiterate then its request towards the new SGSN.

10b) If step 10a was executed, the GMLC shall acknowledge receipt of the Subscriber Location Report.

11) Common MT-LR procedure in PS and CS domain as described in clause 9.1.1.